The Myth of God’s Law - Part two
1 Corinthians 15:55-58
55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 11:1
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Paul states he imitates the behavior of Christ who kept the commandments perfectly.
Romans 3:20
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sins.
We are not saved by our works. We are only saved through Jesus and repentance of sin. We sill strive to keep the law and avoid sinning because of our obedience to God. This is true repentance of sin. Therefore, we avoid sin and sin is the transgression of the law. Without the law we would not know what sin was.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Wages are earned. If we have sinned once, we have earned our wages in death, however, we are granted grace from our sins through Jesus. Therefore, we do not continue to sin, otherwise we are turning away from the grace given to us. Grace fills in the gaps of our obedience to God, weather it be deliberate or unintentional. Although, if we continue in deliberate disobedience, walking against the commands of God, we no longer have a sacrifice for our sins.
Hebrews 10:26-29
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Sin is disobedience to the laws of God. If we continue to intentionally sin and die in our sins, even if we believe in Jesus, we are shut out of the Kingdom of God. Paul compares this offense to disrespecting the sacrifice of Jesus and insulting the grace of God.
Romans 2:13
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Romans 7:12-13
12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
The law is the standard that everyone is judged by. Those who do not believe in Jesus and believe in saving themselves do not have Jesus as their high priest, and therefore, they are unable to attain grace in his name. Paul is saying sin produces death through what is good (the commandments). The law, which Paul previously called holy and good, is the standard mankind is judged against; see Revelation 20:12 and James 2:12. That is how death was produced by sin through what is good (the law). The commandment is not sinful but the contrast of the holy law to the sins of man condemns the one who sins greatly. However, we are made free from this consequence through Jesus and walking in faith.
Romans 13:8-10
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.
Paul is making a claim that the law is being followed by show love to one another. He is also claiming that the ten commandments ARE showing love to your neighbor. Therefore, love is acting out the commandments of God.
1 John 5:3
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
2 Timothy 3:15-17
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The scriptures referred to here are only the ones found in the Old Testament scroll. At the time of the writings of 2 Timothy, the New Testament did not exist. Paul asserts that the entire canon of the Old Testament is useful for imparting moral instruction and upright conduct. the same moral conduct that Jesus displayed. The same conduct that we ought to follow.
1Peter 2:21-22
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
John 15:10
10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
Just as Paul stated, obeying the commandments of God is how we show our love for God. Jesus is not nullifying the commandments of the Father by his own new set of rules. Jesus said to keep his commandments, then he says he keeps the commandments of God the Father. These commandments are the same. If Jesus upheld the commandments of his Father, then, the Father’s commandments are the commandments Jesus is telling us to keep. Also notice Jesus says the same thing as Paul regarding the way one shows their love for God. That is, by keeping the commandments of God.
John 5:2-3
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
James 2:8-18
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well;
9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James tells us that if we break one of God’s commandments we come face to face with the curse of the law, which is being guilty on the day of judgment. James continues to say we cannot save ourselves by our own works in verse 10: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all”. However, “mercy triumphs over judgement” to those who show mercy to others - that is, in conjunction with faith. We are faithful our sins are forgiven by our faith in Jesus. Although, faith is more than just belief. Abraham, for instance, demonstrated his faith through actions. Abraham believed in God, as evidenced by his works. Abraham’s works were the actions that showed his faith in God. Verse 18 explicitly states that we must show our faith by our works.
James 2:19-22
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
James reiterates that belief alone or faith in the existence of God is insufficient. Even the demons believe that to be true. Our actions, e.g. following the laws of God, demonstrate our obedience and loyalty to God. Actions speak louder than words or faith without works is “useless”.
James 2:24-26
24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Ephesians 2:8-16
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands--
12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
The "enmity" Paul is referring to is not the law; rather, the law is what condemns man when he does not properly uphold God's laws in his life. The punishment of the law was put to death if you believe in Jesus and repent for instances where the law was broken, such as lying, stealing, etc. We were “created in Christ Jesus for good works”. Even though we are imperfect, we are nevertheless expected to uphold God's commands. When we err and sin, breaching one of God's laws, grace fills in the gaps in our obedience to God once we have fully repented of our misconduct. Jesus died for our sins, therefore, we are saved from the punishment of the law. However, keeping the laws of God are still an expectation. This is what “grace” truly means; without grace, we would have to rely on our own righteousness, which always falls short.
Proverbs 3:1-5
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
This proverb explains that the commandments of God are equated to faithfulness.
Revelation 12:13
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' " "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."
The saints are those who keep the commandments of God and have faith in Jesus; their works follow them to the grave.
Galatians 5:16-23
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Paul contrasts walking in the flesh to walking according to the Spirit. Walking in the flesh is walking in lawless ways that include adultery, fornication, lewdness, idolatry, etc. Walking in the Spirit is in opposition to the flesh, by walking according to the laws of God. Walking in the Spirit, Paul says, is walking in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against (or without) these attributes there exists no law. Paul is saying that the laws of God are goodness, self-control, love, and peace.
Proverbs 3:5-7
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
1 John 3:4
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
James 4:17
17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
James is telling us we cannot ignore what God calls right behavior. We are not innocent in God’s eyes if we ignore the truth, otherwise, we have sinned. What is the definition of sin? Is it our heart and emotions that guide us away from wrong behaviors? And if it is the “Holy Spirit” guiding our actions away from sin, is there some way to assure we are guided by God’s Spirit and not led astray by another spirit?
Scripture and the commandments of God will never be in conflict with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we can use God’s laws as a light to inspect the spirit leading our current actions and whether what we feel to be right is from God. Let’s look at what is said in Jeremiah regarding following our hearts or our feelings to guide us away from sin.
Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?
The heart cannot be trusted which also means we cannot fully trust our feelings or emotions. We have a guide that lights our path so that we know weather or not we are walking in error. the guide and the light are the commandments of God and breaking the commandments is what God calls sin.
Light in the Bible
1 John 1:5-7
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
if we walk in the light? What does it mean to walk in the light? and what does it mean when it is said of God that he is light? Consider the following verses from Scripture pertaining to light and truth:
Psalms 119:105
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Proverbs 6:23
23 For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,
Matthew 5:14-16
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Let your light (good works) shine so men may see your good works and you glorify God.
Isaiah 8:20
20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
John 3:19-20
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
The light and truth of good works and keeping the commandments are being contrasted with darkness and doing evil works. Light and truth are the commandments of God.
Psalms 119:151
151 You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth.
When light is spoken of metaphorically it refers to God’s commandments and Jesus who obeyed them perfectly. Light in the Bible is the same throughout. Good deeds, the law and the commandments are the light.
Extra Verses Regarding Law
Psalms 12:6
6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.
Proverbs 25:21
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
Psalms 119:142
142 Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.
Psalms 119:1-7
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
Psalms 119:165-166
165 Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
166 I wait for your salvation, LORD, and I follow your commands.
Psalms 119:60
60 I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.
Deuteronomy 6:25
25 Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.’
Keeping commandments = righteousness.
Matthew 7:13-14
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 13:40-43
40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Matthew 7:21-23
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Luke 13:24-28
24 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,'
26 then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'
27 But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'
28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.